History
Social History
This riverside village, rich in water resources and fertility, has a deep history as a cradle of ancient human civilizations. Kuruvambalam and Pulamanthole were among the 26 amsams (administrative divisions) included in Valluvar-Konaathiri's Vellaattiri (also known as Aadi Valluvanad)—the domain of a prominent former local ruler of South Malabar—and later came under the Mysorean invasion.
In the past, the Muslims (a major community in the region), the Scheduled Castes (who formed the vast majority among Hindus), and other backward communities were either impoverished tenants (kudiyanmaar) or agricultural laborers under the local landlords (janmis). The land property and all power in this area were concentrated in the hands of a few upper-caste landlord families who lived luxurious lives without knowing the meaning of hard work while exploiting the poor. The unwritten stories of the atrocities committed by these landlords—who allied with British authorities and refused to shed even a single drop of sweat for the freedom struggle—and the lower-caste blood they spilled have been cleverly forgotten.
Out of the 70 people who died in the 1921 Wagon Tragedy, 41 were from Kuruvambalam, Valapuram, and Chemmalassery in Pulamanthole Panchayat. The Indian freedom movement was a great phenomenon that rewrote Indian history and took deep root in the social and cultural spheres. Compared to neighboring panchayats, Pulamanthole played a significant role in this movement. Many people from here attended the Congress conference held at Ottapalam under the leadership of Annie Besant, with Pokker Haji, Moithukutti Haji, and Marakkar Haji being prominent figures among them.
Khilafat committees began functioning here in the early months of 1921, with K.P. Pokker Haji serving as secretary. In connection with this rebellion, the Kandappathu Bridge at Kattuppara was demolished, and the raft in the Pulamanthole River was destroyed. Subsequently, the British authorities shot and killed Pattukkuth Moideenkutty Kurikkal, Kanakkavanthodi Alavi, Pallithodi Unnippa, Parappulayankutty Moideenkutty, and Njeliyathodi Mammu (alias Bapputty) at Kattuppara, as well as Kolliyath Mammad and Kanjirakkadavath Kunjunyen near Pulamanthole. Invoking arms laws, they burned down several houses in Kattuppara during that period.
Another notable feature during the rebellion was that Mappilas provided protection to all Hindu landlord families who had neither acted as British agents nor shown upper-caste hegemony or hostility toward the tenants. It is said that Mappila youths even went from Kattuppara to protect Elamkulam Mana, the ancestral home of E.M.S. Namboodiripad.
In the early 1930s, a major conference attended by leaders like Kelappan, M. Karthyayani Amma, and Muhammad Shafi was held on the banks of the Pulamanthole River. The emergence of the Yuvajana Sangham (Youth League) was another key event of that era. Under the leadership of this group, a public library was started, making newspapers like Mathrubhumi, Al-Ameen, and Prabhatam, along with various books, available to the public. Through the efforts of this same group, the panchayat's first Upper Primary School (Higher Elementary) began operating, with Madavattath Muhammad Haji as its first student.
The formation of the first madrasa in Pulamanthole began following a conference held under the leadership of Kattilassery in 1933. The reception given to M.P. Narayana Menon upon his release from prison in 1936 was the largest public gathering in the history of Pulamanthole. In 1935, the Yuvajana Sangham launched a handwritten magazine called Navayugam.
The "bell-ringing worship incident" at Pulamanthole Temple occurred in 1933. Paloli Vasudevan Namboothiri, Cherukara Ramunni Pisharody, Narayana Pisharody, Pulamanthole Achutha Pisharody, and Achoorathodi Madhavan Nair visited the Dhanwanthari Temple to offer prayers after bathing in the Pulamanthole River while returning from the Thiruvegappura Anti-Untouchability Meeting. During worship, others rang the temple bell alongside the Namboothiri.
The widespread cholera deaths in 1942–43 were a major disaster. The deaths were highest in the Thiruttinmel Harijan Colony, where there were not even enough people available to bury the bodies. It is worth remembering that those active in national movements stepped forward to handle the burials during that time.
The early Congress Socialist movement and the Communist movement that emerged from it took deep root here. Alongside these, teacher movements also established a strong presence. The Kuttinikkari agitation over landlord-tenant issues deserves special mention: when a landlord evicted a tenant over rent arrears and cultivated the land himself, the Karshaka Sangham (Peasants' Union) intervened, plowed the field with bullocks, and sowed the crops. This gave momentum to the future activities of the Karshaka Sangham.
A key event in teacher organization activities during the 1940s was the boycott of the Gurujana Samajam. The activities of the Communist Party also significantly influenced the history of the 1940s; operating underground during its ban and later openly, it impacted political and other spheres. Emerging alongside the freedom struggle in the 1940s was the Majlis movement, which was influenced by figures like Mohammad Abdur Rahiman Sahib and Kattilassery.
In independent India, Pulamanthole was part of the Malabar District in the undivided Madras State. After 1957, its history mirrored the broader changes across Kerala, but the formation of Malappuram District in the late 1960s warrants special mention. Pulamanthole, which was previously part of Palakkad District, became a border panchayat of Malappuram District.
The migration of farmer-tenants from the former Travancore-Cochin region into Malabar had a profound impact on all sectors of Pulamanthole Panchayat, especially agriculture. The hardworking settlers who began inhabiting the hilly areas of this panchayat in the 1950s gave a new dimension and character to the local culture. Pulamanthole Panchayat was officially established in 1961, and its first elected governing body came into office on January 1, 1964.
Cultural History
Situated on the northern bank of the Kunthipuzha River—which served as a connecting link for the ancient trade centers of the Zamorin—the village of Pulamanthole naturally became a confluence of diverse cultures. The military campaigns of the Mysore rulers and the subsequent British rule decisively influenced the local lifestyle. This influence is visible in the architecture of temples and houses, attire, food, and family relationships. The village hosts Mother Goddesses, tree worship, snake worship (Naga worship), as well as Muslim and Christian places of worship.
A defining feature of this village is the Dhanwanthari Temple, which upholds Pulamanthole's rich Ayurvedic tradition. The Christian churches in Malaparamba and Chirattamala are not just places of worship, but also centers for numerous social welfare activities aimed at uplifting the underprivileged.
Key Hindu religious celebrations include the Kalampattu (conducted as part of the domain of Thirumanthamkunnu Bhagavathy in Angadippuram), the Pooram festivals at Alanchery and Kilikkunnu shrines, and the Paloor Thaipooya Chariot Festival. Despite the harsh grip of feudalism and the caste system, the common people preserved and promoted ritualistic and traditional arts while embracing new art forms.
Chovvoor Neelakandan, who acquired modern craftsmanship techniques through self-effort, was awarded the President's Plaque and Award. He worked toward establishing an independent drama troupe and replacing the Tamil musical theater culture with a Malayalam musical theater culture.
The Ashtavaidya Mooss family brings great pride to this village. Apart from the Moosses, prominent figures in Ayurveda like Pulamanthole Pisharath Krishna Pisharody, Thekkath Krishnan Nair, Kattippara Abdul Khader Vaidyar, and Govindan Vaidyar (renowned in pediatric Ayurveda) earned fame for the village.
In Kathakali, Maddalam maestro Paloor Achuthan Nair, Kuruvambalam Marath Sankara Marar, and Parotha Raman Nair were celebrated figures. The right to perform the ritual art form Chathiraangam (Panaengkali / Sanghakkali) belonged to the Pulikkeezh Mana family of Kuruvambalam. The Pillarmar Panikkarmar who accompany the Thirumanthamkunnu Pooram represent an ancient tradition.
Folk art forms such as Kolkali, Parichamuttukali, and Duffmuttu, along with folk songs and Mappila songs, have been preserved and modernized over time. The ritualistic performance known as Aattu is another notable tradition in this region.
